Editor's Note: Adios Barbie along with editors Pia Guerrero and Sharon Haywood have joined the Brave Girls Want Alliance. We hope that by reading this post by our colleague Dr. Jennifer Shewmaker, Phd. you will join Brave Girls Want in making a long overdue change in how girls are portrayed and marketed to in the … [Read more...]

By Allison Epstein, Intern 2013
It’s amazing how much of an impact our favorite childhood toys can have on us years and decades later. If I asked you what toy you treasured back in the day, what would you say? Maybe we have some Lego people out there, or Easy Bake Oven folks, or for children of the nineties like me, Doodle … [Read more...]

By Sayantani DasGupta
I read a fascinating piece in The Guardian UK recently, with an even more fascinating headline: "Chick lit ‘harms body image’, study finds." At first glance, this seems highly plausible. Just the name ‘chick lit’ implies something at least intellectually (if not psychologically) unsavory. We are women, not … [Read more...]

By Sayantani DasGupta
Back in September 2010, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) sent cyberspace into a tizzy with the article How to Raise Boys who Read. Hint: It's not with gross-out books and video game bribes.
I don't think the article is really that controversial. The writer, Thomas Spence, rants a little about Captain … [Read more...]

By Melanie Klein
For the women in my family, the body was a source of anxiety, shame, a measure of discipline and worth – something to fret over, scrutinize, and punish for bad behavior. Food invoked anxiety and fear. Calories were meticulously tracked and exercised away as quickly as possible.
The women openly complained … [Read more...]

By Ragen Chastain
When the high-end department store Barney’s decided to collaborate with Disney for its holiday window, Barney’s creative director, David Freedman insisted that, “the important thing to me was always that it had to be authentic. It really had to hit the nail on the head in every detail.” When it came to the … [Read more...]

By Sheena Vasani, Intern (2011)
Editors note: This blog post was originally posted Nov 1, 2011. We are sharing it again for our visitors to consider how airbrushed photos (whether your own, or those in magazines) impact your well-being and sense of self. What makes your physical beauty exceptional? Ironed out pimples, wrinkles, … [Read more...]

By Sayantani DasGupta
Despite movements toward Health at Every Size (HAES), the truth of the matter is, size shaming is alive and well in this country. From the “Strong4Life” Georgia childhood obesity campaign to New York City’s “Cut your Portions, Cut your Risk” campaign scare tactics and body shame are part and parcel of the … [Read more...]

By Ashley-Michelle Papon
Three years ago, America fell in love with the plucky Shawn Johnson. Just 16, she captured plenty of hearts—and headlines—with three silver medals during the 2008 Olympics. The talented gymnast also took home a gold medal, a highlight for many during a competition riddled with controversy and accusations … [Read more...]

By Crystal Smith
As most readers may know, there has been a huge uproar over LEGO’s newest product line, LEGO Friends. (Google it. You can’t miss it.) Regular readers [at The Achilles Effect] might also know that LEGO has been one of my favorite targets for a while now.
Like the people protesting the LEGO Friends line, I have … [Read more...]